We'd gone back to the inn so we could ask after a bath or shower. Whatever they have in the sticks. I guess I was a pretty terrifying sight because people quickly vacated the roads when they saw us coming. I felt sticky. And smelly. And I'm pretty sure there were bits of bone stuck in my hai- wait, isn't that the local fashion? Huh. Maybe they're all just racist. Frost was, of course, up my ass the entire way about what I meant by my 'about that' statement. She can be really impatient…

At the inn, the innkeeper seemed confused. "Ya wanna go in da watta. On purpose?"

"Yes. On purpose. To bathe." I enunciated my words like I was talking to someone hard of hearing. I'm not sure it works but my mother-in-law seemed to always think it did, so…

"Ya out landas be crazy mon. There are some springs behind da inn if ya insist on dis…" He walked away shaking his head and muttering something about 'crazy girls'. Hmm. Felt a rising feeling in my chest, like anxiety but pleasant? Yes pleasant, this is nice. Should totally do this more often.

I looked at Frost and she shrugged before taking my hand and hauling me with her out the back door. Apparently the springs are not directly behind the inn, we followed some signs up a haphazard path, pretty sure I heard banjos playing too. But we found them. A waterfall cascaded off a cliff about 100 feet above us and landed in a crater roughly the size of a hot tub. From there the water overfilled the basin and it spilled into another which emptied into another. There looked to be about 5 springs connected and all bubbling with their own flow of water. I approached the first with caution and peered in, it was crystal clear and pretty shallow looking. The bottom had a small opening a few inches wide where new water flowed in. A quick inspection showed the others were the same. Exactly. The art department had spared every expense on these.

I let Frost know they seemed safe and then jumped into the bottom most spring. It was warm and felt so, so nice. The heat seeped into me and I wanted to relax and just float in the heat. But um covered in viscera so...yeah. First things first. I used my magic to create a small, palm sized icicle that was pretty rough and porous. I started scrubbing my skin and the ice is gone. I sighed, stupid hot springs.

"Zet…" I looked over at Frosts amused smirk, "While you were busy making fun of Billy Bob, I saw a sea sponge on a shelf and swiped it. Please get that shit off of you…"

She tossed me the sponge and I set to cleaning up. It wasn't easy, it was pretty well in there. I started with my skin and when I was done, I took care of my armor. The first spring looked like an episode of Dexter by the time my skin was done so I needed to up a tier to clean my armor. By the time everything was clean, hair included, only the top spring remained gore free. Blech that's a lot of bone and meat….

I stepped out of the spring and saw Frost sitting on a nearby rock watching me. She was biting her lower lip, her eyes a little wide as she looked me over. She looked into my eyes and then again at down at my crotch. Moving her eyes slowly up my body, she stopped for a moment and frowned at my very metal enclosed chest, then looked back into my eyes and cocked her eyebrow. She asked playfully, "So….whadcha mean about that…?"

I raised my eyebrow in turn and turned my back to her. I unclasped my top and it clanged to the ground, I jumped in surprise. Sexy. Real sexy Zet...clearing my throat, I continued my saunter to the top spring and let my gauntlets fall followed by my leg guards a moment later. So loud, why didn't I choose a sexy mage or something in cloth?! My boots were the last to leave, I was keeping my shoulder guards and helmet on, just in case. I lowered myself into the spring and sighed, so warm…

I crossed the spring and as I reached the other side heard a small splash and then slender arms wrapped around me. Frost turned me around to face her and looked up at me with half closed eyes. "Hi."

"Hey," she brushed her hair back. "You probably ruined those springs…"

I chuckled or was it a giggle, "not like they bathe anyways."

She smiled back, I wanted to kiss her but held back. Her body was hidden beneath the water but her hair was crimson in the sunlight. The beauty of my love was there, lessened in this world, to my eyes. I saw bits of her true self reflected in this avatar. But me. What must she see in this new body? A stranger? It was rough when I started all this and we made it through but now. Now everything is different and - "Stop that."

I opened my eyes at Frost's gentle chiding. I guess I closed them as i started getting teary. "Stop wh… I…"

She put her hand on my face, "Stop. I see you. We've made it through worse than this, we made it through the isolation. Wondering when you'd leave me or choose to take it further. Don't close yourself off again."

The tears I was holding back began to flow free when I saw tears reflected in her own eyes. I didn't know what to say. What can I say to one who's accepted me in every form? I brushed my fingers across her cheek and tangled them in her hair behind her head. I leaned closer and kissed her, just a small kiss at first. Just how she likes to start, but quickly it grew into passionate kisses as we both took control of the situation. She shoved me back behind the falls and began kissing down my neck. My heart rose in my chest and, well it wasn't the only thing rising as she took a nipple in her mouth and began caressing me with her tongue.

I let out a low moan and could feel her lips twist upwards in a smile. "You like that?"

She ran her fingers down my belly, which was definitely feeling warmer by the moment, and found my hard cock. She murmured a sound of relief mixed with excitement and began stroking even as she turned her attention to the other nipple. It felt so good but I couldn't leave her to do all the work. Well, I could but…

I picked her up under her arms and set her legs around my waist. I paid special attention to her neck and made sure to take a few extra moments in one spot. A hickey is always fun to leave. She moaned beneath my caresses, soon I was licking her nipples and her moans grew louder. I leaned up and whispered in her ear in the sultriest voice I could manage, "It's been too long babe. My balls have definitely gone blue from the wait."

She started laughing and soon, snorts joined the mix, "You idiot. Shut up and fuck me."

I chuckled with her and made sure we were positioned well. I kissed her again passionately and traced my tongue in her mouth as I pushed her onto me. Her fingers tightened on me as she gasped and moaned my name. It didn't take us long before we were gasping in time with each other. Afterwards we floated there still entwined, her head against my shoulder. I whispered my love to her and she to me. After an indeterminate amount of time we got out and dressed. As we made our way back to the inn to plan our next action we heard someone scream from back at the springs.

"Dear gods! What happened here?! I told dem outlandas..." We laughed together as we walked away hand in hand.